Albus Potter : The Chosen One's Son
by Hannami14
Summary: Nineteen years later.  Voldemort is gone. Harry Potter has accomplished his destiny.  But the son of the Survivor has yet to do.  Albus Potter begins his first year at Hogwarts and his adventures will become as famous as those of his father.
1. Hogwarts

So this is the correction of the first chapter ! I have to say 1000 thank you to allegratree who beta read for me !

Albus Potter turned one last time and frantically waved goodbye to his father. Harry Potter, smiled at him confidently. As for his mother and sister, they watched him board the train with tears in their eyes. Ginny Potter could not bring herself to face the sight of her younger son leaving for Hogwarts. He had grown up too fast, but she was sure he would do great things.

Meanwhile, Lily Potter sulked with impatience. She wanted to accompany her brothers to the famous school of witchcraft. But James' promise restored the smile behind her curtain of tears. He'd sworn that he would send her a toilet seat.

The train began to move with a jolt. Albus watched his parents and sister as they became tiny figures on the platform and eventually disappeared altogether.  
>Albus sank into the old red seat of the Hogwarts Express. Rose was already immersed in one of the many magic books bequeathed to her by her mother. These grimoires had followed her mother throughout her schooling and Rose believed that they would bring her luck.<p>

As the Hogwarts Express hurtled itself through the countryside, James kept amused by furtively throwing some bewitched firecrackers in the next cab where young witches responded with surprised cries. But eventually, he was compelled to quit his game by a fifth-year girl who didn't seemed to appreciate his little joke. James hung his head in mock penitence as the girl put him in his place. Then he grinned broadly as they watched her depart for her own compartment.

"I'm going to look for Godric, Renold, and Arnold!'' James announced to them, ''See you in the Great Hall ! But wait ! ... Maybe you'll be with the Slytherin table ! I'll applaud you from Gryffindor, do not worry !"

And he escaped with a booming laugh.

"I am _not_ going to be in Slytherin!" yelled Albus after him.

Rose looked up from her book. She was very tense as well. Hogwarts Houses were not a kidding matter to her. Albus examined his cousin and noticed her solemnity.

"Don't worry, Rose. You can be in Ravenclaw. Your mother would be just as proud as if you were in Gryffindor ...

''And my father?'' she argued, ''You think about it! It's a tradition! All the Weasleys were in Gryffindor. _All_, without exception. I would not ...  
>''It's a tradition among Potters too! I am the son of Harry Potter, Rose. Everyone expects me to be in Gryffindor. I do not want to disappoint them all ... And even though Dad told me that Slytherin is a good house, I know that Gryffindor is better.<br>''_You might belong in Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart, their daring, nerve, and chivalry set Gryffindors apart_,'' recited Rose.  
>''You have learned that hymn by heart? "Albus exclaimed.<br>''Of course !"

He could never understand why his cousin insisted on always memorising everything. His uncle told him that it was normal and he would eventually get used to it (Like mother, like daughter!).

"Wanna game?'' Rose asked as she took out her father's old Wizarding chess board and began setting up her pieces. It was not a invitation as much as a directive. Reluctantly, Albus pulled out his own pieces and placed them in front of those of his cousin. His father had given them to Albus to take to school. They were the same ones he had received during his first Christmas at Hogwarts and Albus knew them very well.

"You'll see, Hugo's been instructing my game!" Rose informed him enthusiastically

Albus did not dare tell her, but she was a pitiful failure at Wizarding Chess. (Like mother, like daughter! He could still hear the voice of Uncle Ron.).

They played for some time as the landscape paraded past the windows of the train. Neither was a very strong player and finally, stopped playing in frustration and bordom. At noon, the candy truck went down the aisle. Albus (who was very hungry) bought Chocolate Frogs while Rose chose some Pumpkin Pasties.  
>But just as they were paying the clerk, a boy came rushing toward them. He was scarlet as he tried to catch his breath.<p>

"I missed the truck ... Sorry ... I would ..."

He raised his head and it was at that moment he noticed Albus and Rose. He stared at them a long moment with his piercing gray eyes.

"Never mind," he told the attendant, who eyed him curiously.

To their surprise, he settled himself in their compartment, right next to Albus. Rose looked at him with a hard and arrogant stare. Her father had told her not to trust this boy.

"Scorpius Malfoy,'' he presented himself, ''I suppose your parents have warned you about my father."

Albus straightened a little. Rose clenched her teeth.

"Indeed,'' she growled in a sharp voice.  
>''I was afraid of that…" he mumbled disappointedly as he rose.<p>

The witch raised an eyebrow suspiciously. ''They had to wary of the Malfoys'', her father had repeated again and again. This family was vicious and unhealthy. They had been on the side of the dark wizard, Voldemort, and tried to kill their parents on multiple occasions.  
>Despite this fact, Albus stood up and held out his hand awkwardly to Scorpius.<p>

"I'm Albus Potter… and she's Rose Weasley,'' he presented his cousin, ignoring her disdainful attitude. The Malfoy boy seemed a little surprised but he ended up shaking hands.

"If you have no one to sit with, you can stay in here with us,'' he invited, offering him a Chocolate Frog, ''As you missed the meal trolley ..."

Malfoy hesitated a moment and then finally sit down. He accepted some Chocolate Frogs under the scornful gaze of Rose, who was making him uncomfortable. When he opened the first, the frog escaped with a big jump, revealing the card of the famous wizard, Harry Potter.

"Look," Malfoy exclaimed, handing it to Albus, "We certainly will not find a card of my father in a Chocolate Frog."

His voice was bitter and ironic. Albus took the card and read :  
>"Harry Potter, The Survivor.<br>Harry Potter is one of the greatest wizard of modern times. He is currently the only one known to have survived the killing curse twice and is famous for having fought and vanquished Lord Voldemort, the darkest wizard of our age.

He currently works as an Auror in close collaboration with Ronald and Hermione Weasley."

Albus could not restrain a smile. His admiration for his father was boundless, but, lately, his stomach lurched whenever he heard of his exploits, which was becoming more and more frequently. His father had done so many great things that Albus was afraid of disappointing him. A tremendous legacy was on Albus' shoulders and he often worried that he would collapse beneath its weight. It would be a scandal in the Wizarding World if the son of the great Harry Potter proved himself to be a pathetic sorcerer.  
>Scorpius' woes were just the opposite. After the second Wizarding war, his father and grandfather were in a state of humiliation. In fact, the Malfoy name was a total disgrace for Scorpius. This bad reputation has followed him everywhere since his birth. Witches and wizards could not help but launch him angry looks, or even insult him in hushed voices. Scorpius was desparate to change all that.<br>An awkward silence settled. Rose watched the two boys, immersed in their thoughts. She waved her wand.

"Reparo!"

The few scratches on the glasses of Albus disappeared. He gasped.

"They're completely gone!'' he exclaimed then he rolled his eyes at his cousin, ''You're doing this just for practice, eh?''

''Of course! And we've almost arrived. I want to be ready with some spells. You should do the same!"

But Albus did not listen to her advice and was content to watch her cast spells. Rose was half lying when she said she was training. Of course, she wanted to be ready for school, but she especially wanted to impress this vicious Malfoy. Her cousin was too trusting to see it but Rose could see that unhealthy gleam in his dull eyes.

"Hey,'' Albus began, ''Which house would you like to be in?''  
>''Well ... Scorpius thought aloud, ''... I think I'll end up in Slytherin. It's like that in my family.''<br>''I asked you which house you _want_ to be in, insisted Albus, ''not where you _think_ you will go."

Malfoy reflected once more. Rose watched his answer with a disapproving expression.

"Actually ... I would like to be in any house…except Slytherin."

Rose stared at him with bulging eyes. Certainly, he was lying. The Malfoys always _wanted_ to be in Slytherin and they'd always had their way! She couldn't believe that this boy would be any different.

"And you?'' Malfoy asked.  
>''Gryffondor!'' They replied in chorus.<br>_ ''__You might belong in Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart, their daring, nerve, and chivalry set Gryffindors apart,'' _said Scorpius.  
>''You've learned the hymns as well ?"<p>

Albus began to believe that Scorpius Malfoy was genuine. Rose frowned. She was sure he was trying to trick them!  
>The sliding door of the compartment opened to reveal an excited James.. His black hair hung messily about his glasses and his brown eyes sparkled with anticipation.<p>

"You'd better be ready! Here we are!"

He had already donned his red and gold robes and his tie in the colors of his house. He looked down at Scorpius who was looking out the window and he raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Well, well, isn't it the little Scorpion ?" he said with a mischievous smile.

Scorpius turned round to face James.

"Scorpius," he corrected with a hard voice.

Knowing his brother, Albus decided to end this exchange before it got out of hand. Though Rose seemed to enjoy the turn events were taking.

"Thank you for warning us James ! See you later."

James smiled one last time to Scorpius. Albus had guessed his brother was up to something as he disappeared into the hallway, singing the anthem of Slytherin.  
>The train was losing speed and Albus began to count the stars in the inky sky. He, Rose and Scorpius quickly put on their robes and a voice echoed through the train:<p>

"We will arrive at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage in the compartments. They will be sent to your respective dormitories."

Albus didn't know whether he was anxious, excited or impatient. He rushed into the corridor, Rose and Scorpius on his heels. Students jostled about but Albus saw his brother's head protruding from the crowd. They eventually made their way onto the platform and the fresh air made them shudder. Everything was dark, Albus could not see what was right in front of him.

"The firs' years ! A big gruff voice hailed, ''follow me."

Albus narrowed his eyes. The giant Hagrid was a further ahead and he was holding a big oil lamp in his huge hand.

"Well, Albus, how yeh've grown ! And yeh look jus like yer father ! He exclaimed, "I feel like it was just yesterday that he arrived for the first time at Hogwarts ! Yeh should've seen him ! Knee high to a bowtruckle !"

He smiled and his eyes sparkled in the lamplight.  
>They walked behind Hagrid through the dark and Albus stumbled every so often, while Rose trotted beside him. The giant didn't seem to realize that he was hard to follow. Albus was not surprised at the absence of James. He'd already explained that the first year were always kept separate until they were sorted.<p>

"And yeh, Rose ! Hagrid continued, ''Yeh're the spitting image of your mother ! But yeh've got yer dad's eyes. He sent me an owl there not long ago. He says that yeh have inherited yer mum's intelligence and that I should keep an eye on yeh."

He glanced at Scorpius who walked silently beside them.

"And yeh, Albus if yeh're like yer father, I am likely to go through the mill ! He was a true scoundrel ! Yeh can come down to the hut, one day we will talk 'bout it all over a good tea and homemade cakes !"

Harry and Ron had already spoken of _those_ homemade cakes to Rose and Albus. They winced but in the dark no one noticed.

"Of course, Hagrid," Albus replied politely.

Rose nudged her cousin's ribs and he shrugged his shoulders. They would only give the cookies to Fang.

"And that's Hogwarts !" exclaimed the giant.

The castle was hung on a mountaintop overlooking the dark lake. James was not lying when he said it was huge. Albus already imagined he was going to be lost in that enormous castle.

"Go, go, hurry! Keep it four to a boat !"

They climbed into a canoe with Scorpius and a livid boy who told them that he was seasick The prospect of boarding a boat did not seem to enchant him. Then, by some unseen force, all the boats slipped across the black water. All heads were turned toward Hogwarts which sparkled from its perch atop the cliff.  
>The boats crossed through a cascade of ivy and into a wet, musty tunnel. They collided gently the bedrock of the underground creek. The students jumped to the ground with one movement and the boy who had made the journey with Albus, Rose and Scorpius queasily put a hand over his mouth. He did not really seem as though he'd enjoyed the trip.<p>

"Hurry up !" Hagrid urged them.

They climbed up after him in a passage carved into the mountain and Albus could not help imagining that it was the way his father had ascending into the castle years ago. Then they emerged on a vast, dark lawn which stretched at the foot of the lit castle. They climbed the stairs and the giant struck three times on the door that opened by itself.  
>A tiny man stood in the doorway. His hair was white, and he had long wrinkled hands. He seemed a little eccentric but his eyes shone with intelligence. Albus could not guess his age.<p>

"Professor Flitwick! These are the first years," said Hagrid with his deep voice.

The little sorcerer stroked his white and bushy beard, staring at the students with a benevolent eye. When he saw Albus and Rose, he smiled broadly, which had the effect of pulling his leathery skin into small furrows across his face. But when his eyes fell on Scorpius, he frowned and clenched his teeth. The Malfoy's son pretended not to have noticed.

"Well, Hagrid, I'll take care of the rest !"

The giant sent a encouraging wink to Albus and Rose and disappeared into the vast hall. Everything was immense and Albus wondered if there was a ceiling beyond the vast darkness above their heads. A marble staircase led upstairs.  
>Professor Flitwick guided them to a small room. It was much easier to follow him than Hagrid and some students had to concentrate not to scamper past him. Albus heard the exciting atmosphere in the room next door. Rose shook his arm. She was as tense as a fiddler's bow.<br>The professor recited his usual speech and Rose whispered her own annotations to Albus, in between his breaths. That seemed to calm her.

"Put yourself in line and follow me."

The door opened and all the students applauded as they entered the Great Hall with a brisk walk. The magic ceiling was still there as their parents had described and candles hung in the air like hundreds of shining stars. The long tables of the four houses were surrounded by students. Teachers were sitting at the end of the room, dominating all the hall.  
>The Ghosts entered the hall as well, laughing as they greeted the students and Albus hoped Peeves would not come. James had told him about that poltergeist. He was, as described, even more obnoxious than himself, but Albus was not so sure about it. Either way, he wasn't looking forward to encountering him. Albus sought his brother among the Gryffindors but failed to see him in the general agitation of students at the table.<br>Professor Flitwick produced with his wand a stool and the Sorting Hat. Albus felt his stomach tighten and his hands began to tremble. The hat then came to life and began singing its usual anthem and everyone applauded when it had finished. James had once told Albus that in order to be accepted in Gryffindor he had to fight a troll. Uncle Ron had laughed then, saying that his brother Fred had made the same joke in his first year.

"When I call your name, please sit on the stool and put the Hat on your head," announced Flitwick as he unroll the long scroll containing the list of names.

It was there, Albus thought he might vomit in terror and Rose's face betrayed her nervousness. For better or for worse, they would know in which house they would be distributed and where they would have to complete all their schooling. Despite their reservations, what they were certain of was that their years at Hogwarts promised to be exceptional.  
>Just like those of their parents.<p> 


	2. The Four Houses

The second chapter is corrected thanks to allegratree ! Thank you a lot !

"Ackroyd, Uland ! "

The first student walked awkwardly to his fate. He screwed the Sorting Hat onto his head which remained silent for only a few seconds before yelling :

"Gryffindor ! "

The noisy students of the house began banging on the table with their fists and Albus thought he heard the voice of James above the rest.

"Annesley, Tobias ! "

A boy broke free from the line, trembling. He climbed on the stool and stuck the hat on his head.

"Ravenclaw ! "

Flushed, he fled from the platform toward his table that cheered him.

"Bishoptree, Seth ! "

The young wizard ran to the stool. Albus recognized the boy with whom they had shared the boat. He was as green as during the canoe trip. Maybe he was "earth sick" as well? Albus wondered if such a thing existed.

"Gryffindor! "

Seth seemed a little faint as he collapsed on a bench next to the other students in his house. Cheers came up through the ranks like a roar of thunder.  
>The excitement in the air was almost palpable. Albus felt as though his legs might collapse. He was afraid he would be sick. Rose clung at the sleeve of her cousin as though she was afraid of drowning.<br>Students marched on toward the stool. Some were confident but others were in the same state as Albus.

"Gascoigne, Fergus ! "

He crept up to the Sorting Hat. The hat did not take long to decide.

"Slytherin ! "

Fergus slid off the stool to reach his house. Albus felt uncomfortable watching the students dressed in green and silver. He did _not_ want to be in Slytherin. It seemed that they all looked at him with unhealthy smiles. The serpent of the banner hanging over their table was staring at him with his black eyes.

"Liripine, Doraleen ! "

A tiny girl pushed her way into the line of students. She was barely bigger than Flitwick. Despite her size, she climbed on the stool with grace.

"Hufflepuff ! "

She seemed satisfied and hopped off to her table where the Hufflepuffs applauded.

"Lockton, Erin ! "

Unlike the previous girl, Erin was quite tall. She exceeded Albus by at least a head and she had dazzling blond hair. She donned the hat with apprehension.

"Ravenclaw ! "

Erin joined with her house with long strides, where all the students greeted her with ovation. She was soon joined by another girl, Moira Macmillan.  
>"Malfoy, Scorpius ! "<p>

A deathly silence fell in the room.

"He's a Malfoy …"  
>"A Deatheaters!"<br>"I heard his whole family are Deatheaters …"

"Is that boy Draco Malfoy's son?"

"His grandfather is Lucius Malfoy! His whole family were supporters of Voldemort!"  
>"Why is he even here? He doesn't belong at Hogwarts!"<br>"Traitors!"  
>"SILENCE!" Mc Gonagall shouted from the center of the head table.<p>

She seemed even more severe with her pepper-and-salt hair, dressed in emerald robes and a matching hat.  
>Albus noticed Scorpius looking at her gratefully before summoning his strength and approaching the stool. He thrust the hat over his blond hair and closed his eyes. His face was even more pale with fear.<br>The whole room was staring at the Malfoy. It was assumed he would be a Slytherin, like all the Malfoys. It was in the order of things, though some of the Slytherins did not even want him. They Malfoys were just outcasts !

"Well, well, Scorpius Malfoy ..." murmured the hat.

The magic hat took a lot of time to decide and it seemed to Albus that the two were talking the matter over quietly. Albus wondered what they were saying. Maybe the sorting hat really was taking Malfoy's opinion into consideration?

"Gryffindor ! "

There was a moment of daze. "What?" the hall seemed to whisper, "Impossible! Outrageous! The Sorting Hat must be mistaken!" The whole room remained silent for several moments. Then someone applauded. McGonagall was clapping her hands with a benevolent smile. Hagrid followed, then all the teachers did the same. Soon, the entire Great Hall cheered.  
>Scorpius's face was emotionless as though he was in shock. He sat with the other students who, despite their reservations, could not help smiling.<br>Albus felt relieved for him. He was glad Malfoy had escaped from Slytherin.  
>The list went on. Nowforth, Henry ... Hufflepuff ... Octavia, Octavie ... also to Hufflepuff ... Pandora, Robert ... Slytherin ... Albus froze.<p>

"Potter, Albus ! "

And before he could make the slightest gesture, the whole room began to cheer.

"POTTER ! POTTER ! "

He wondered if James had received the same greeting. Albus was too overwhelmed to move and Rose pushed him forward. He turned to her but she waved hurried him on. In his anxiousness, he tripped on the steps and he was sure he had heard his brother's laugh. The hat covered his eyes, plunging him into the darkness and it seemed that the shouts and the excitement of the hall was far, far away from him.

"Potter, Potter, you always give me a hard time, you lot ... Must the whole family be so difficult? "

The sound of laughter from the Great Hall seemed muffled.

"Your father did not want to go to Slytherin. Your grandfather also. And your brother begged me not to send him there, " said a little voice in his head.

Even James had been afraid of being sorted in Slytherin? He'd been careful not to mention that detail to Albus all the time he'd been teasing him about it.

"I suppose you also want to go to Gryffindor? "

Albus, despite his fear and his desire to plead not beg for anything. He wanted to show that he was valiant. He would not implore. He would confront his fate.

"What, you ask nothing ? It's very _brave_ of you. I think I am going to bet with McGonagall. I bet ten thousand Galleons that the next hundred generations of Potter will be in Gryffindor."

Albus shook the edges of the stool so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"Well, I think I've done enough waiting. Gryffindor ! "

He took off the hat and rushed to his house's table. He had never heard a noise like that which greeted him. All the students were shouting, singing, celebrating the arrival of Albus. James and Godric moved aside to give him a place.

"Well, you see, little brother, it was not so complicated after all! Welcome aboard! "

He noticed Scorpius sitting across from him with a half-smile. His brother's best friend, Godric, ruffled his hair. He was too struck to answer them.  
>Albus noticed then that the line of first years had considerably narrowed. Only ten students remained, including Rose. She regretted her surname. Why did she have to be called Weasley? She was always last! Her blood pressure was at its height and she felt like screaming and running away. Her heart drummed in her chest so hard that she thought he was going to explode. Albus launched her an encouraging look which gave her a little strength and above all, hope.<br>Redgcombe, Hope was sent to Gryffindor. Sullivan, Donald still trembling, rushed to Ravenclaw and Totthill, Edgar to Hufflepuff. Versmisse, Kathleen and finally Waldegrave, Bartholomeus were both sent to Slytherin.  
>Rose knew she would be the last. She trembled like a leaf.<p>

"Weasley, Rose ! "

It was her turn.  
>She walked as if she was going to die. They could very well be playing a funeral march behind her; it would have been perfect for the mood. She grabbed that hat and placed it on her head with a deliberate slowness, seeking to delay the consequence. At the second when the Sorting Hat was placed on her chestnut hair, it bellowed :<p>

"ANOTHER WEASLEY? Every year I am entitled to a new one! This family will eventually fill the halls of Hogwarts ... "

Rose closed her eyes and reddened with shame as the whole room laughed.

"So, my little lady, what do I see there ? "

The Sorting Hat mumbled to itself for what seemed like a lifetime and Rose felt herself in the mood to run a hundred meters.

"Really, no surprise with this family. All the same. Maybe next year will be different ? I am sure the next Weasley will surprise us ... I hope so, in fact. Gryffindor!"

Rose leapt from the seat at the speed of light before the hat changed his mind and rushed to Albus.

"We're in! We're in! " she yelled over the applause of all the others.

Her cousin could only smile at her. He understood nothing about what she had said because of the noise. James cheered loudly, louder than any other.  
>McGonagall stood up and the stirring stopped instantly.<p>

"Welcome to Hogwarts ! But I must warn you, it's probably one of the last nights you'll have this much fun. We need to work hard throughout this school year ! "

All the students laughed. Still, McGonagall was serious but she said no more and sat down with the same warm eyes.  
>Albus was hungry. All these emotions given him an appetite. Plates and dishes before him were filled with food and he did not hesitate, filling his plate with a quantity of roast worthy of a troll. His brother took the twice as much as Albus's meal and devoured everything that passed under his nose. Godric laughed loudly and James spoke with his mouth full of potatoes.<p>

"Well," squeaked a student from across the table, "I have a view down to the bottom of your stomach, Potter. "

Albus looked up from his plate. In front of his glutton brother, a witch was eyeing him with disdain. Her heavy brown hair had red highlights in the golden light of the Great Hall and they fell in cascades over her shoulders. Her dark blue eyes were piercing.

"I missed you too, Kwiat and would you please mind you own buisness ? " James replied with a mocking air.

Albus could not believe it. He was in front of a celebrity ! So it was she, the famous Euphrasia Kwiat ? His brother had gotten on his nerves all summer about this girl ! Kwiat here ... Kwiat there ... At last, he was seeing her in person!

"Actually, being forced to eat my dinner in front of a pig IS my business!"

Scorpius, who was next to her, shivered. A dark aura began to bog down the air around Euphrasia. She literally glared at him with a deadly look.

"Oooooh ! Attention James, she'll blast you ! " Godric laughed, nudging his friend's ribs playfully.

The witch arched an eyebrow contemptuously.

"I don't think I was speaking to you, Longbottom. And, look out! Your father is watching you."

She smiled. Godric turned to his father who, from the professor's table, was gesturing to him to mind himself. He dived into his plate, red with shame.  
>As the dishes paraded, Albus noticed that James opened his mouth more and more as he chewed. Kwiat pretended to ignore him but her pursed lips betrayed her, which further encouraged James to continue taunting her.<br>Nearly-Headless Nick were walking on the Gryffindor table, crushing all the food, cooling it off considerably. He pulled his head off everytime a first year asked him what was meant by "nearly-headless" which made them yelp with fright. Indeed, it was enough to take your appetite away.  
>Rose talked with Hope Redgcombe, who was still trembling with emotion.<p>

"I really thought I would faint My father had not talked about it ... " she whispered, fidgeting her short blond hair.

Rose nodded vigorously.

"I can not wait for the Quidditch season to start ! I really want to pound Slytherin into the grass!" James boasted, bulging his chest.

Indeed, he and Godric were Chasers. The Finnigan twins, Renold and Arnold, were playing at the Beaters position. Kwiat was the Keeper. As for the Seeker, it was Heath Thomas who held the post. The son of Dean Thomas and Lavender Brown was excellent.

"Seriously, I feel that this year will be good for Gryffindor! Tremble before us, Slytherin! "

And he went into a gargantuan bout of laughter.  
>Albus checked if his brother had not changed his drink to alcohol. Without warning, James began to sing the Hogwarts Anthem. Soon, the whole school followed him. Everything was cacophonous. All students ended at different times and Godric was the last to finish in the general applause.<p>

"Thank you for your wonderful interpretation, Mr. Longbottom, but now everyone go to bed !" McGonagall ordered, clapping her hands.

All remnants of the carnage which had been the banquet disappeared in an instant.

"Let's go, Gryffindors, follow me ! "shouted the Gryffindor House prefect.

Thomas Heath imitated her voice, exaggerating at least four octaves. James, Godric and the twins giggled. The witch turned.

"Heath, just because you're my brother that does not mean I can't punish you! What would you say about a little stay with Filch ? I am sure he will look after you. "

The Gryffindor Seeker paled with terror.

"That's better! Hurry up, Gryffindors!"

While they followed the prefect, Albus kept turning around, watching with apprehension for Peeves. He had no desire to meet the poltergeist who James claimed was even more of a bully than himself. They climbed the stairs and after a few turns, arrived opposite the portrait of the Fat Lady. Luckily, the joking ghost had not shown his dreadful head.

"Password ? "asked the portrait who swooned in her pink dress.

The leader cleared her throat.

"Fried Pullus."

The woman made a bow while the panel rotated. The students rushed into the dark portal and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room. The colors of the house, red and gold, were everywhere. A fire crackled in the hearth of the fireplace. Bulky, plush chairs filled the room.  
>A huge picture hung on the wall. Harry Potter in his Quidditch clothes held the Golden Snitch in his hand with a shining smile. Albus approached and read :<br>"Harry Potter  
>The greatest Seeker who ever played in Gryffindor. Known for his courage and strength and for his kindness and benevolence."<p>

Rose hopped up to her cousin.

"Good night, I'm really tired. See you tomorrow !"

And she climbed the spiral staircase leading to the girls' dormitory. Albus stifled a yawn. He would do well to imitate Rose's example, as he didn't think he could stand much longer. He discovered his trunk lying on his bed. He quickly changed clothes and went to bed. He noticed that Scorpius was already lying in the bed next to him. Only a tuft of blond hair was protruding from blankets. He was pretty sure he also heard James snored in the second dormitory.  
>Albus smiled and then, fell asleep.<br>He would need his rest as the serious business would begin in the morning, after all.


	3. Quidditch Training

The Potter family had three important rules, as decreed by James.  
>First, Potters never follow the rules. It was in the genes, it seemed.<br>Second, a Potter had to be excellent on the Quidditch field. Broomstick flying was also in the family blood.  
>And finally, and probably the most ridiculous of all, a Potter had to marry a redhead. James Potter had Lily Evans and Harry Potter had Ginny Weasley.<br>But as he sunk his teeth into his pumpkin marmalade one morning, Albus could not help but wonder. If he played Quidditch, he was respecting the second of James' rules, but by following the second rule, wasn't he breaking the first? He could have racked his brains a long time if Rose had not screamed in his ears,

"What are you doing, Al? We have to be in history of magic class in ten minutes and you have not even finished your breakfast!"

Ah ... the history of magic class. Albus could do without it. He always fell asleep as soon as Professor Binns began to speak. He might struggle to stay alert, but the boredom was stronger than he was which only earned him Rose's remonstrance. Moreover, Binns had perhaps died of listening to the sound of his voice, but nobody could prove it. His father had warned him but he hadn't really believed him until he heard it for himself.  
>Unlike the classes of Professor Binns, those of Professor Longbottom were much more interesting. However, Albus found himself avoiding eye contact with Neville lest he started to ask him about his family. Even though he'd know Neville his whole life, Albus felt awkward speaking to him as a teacher. Students didn't tell their teachers things about their private life. At least Albus didn't. Rose was another story. She was determined to be held in high regard by all her teachers and she never missed an opportunity to show how brilliant she was. Of course, it bothered Albus a little. How could she know so much? Uncle Ron (if he had been there) would probably have said: "It's in the genes!" But Albus knew that it was more in the genes of his Aunt Hermione than those of Uncle Ron.<p>

Professor Flitwick, who was also the deputy Head, was, as for him, equal to himself. His thin voice made always and still Albus's ears to buzz several minutes after he left the class.  
>For his first class of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Albus was ready as ever. He had blank parchment, new ink, and a freshly polished wand. He expected an exciting course, lots of new spells and a most lively hour (not like those of Professor Binns). But once he met his teacher and had his first lesson, his enthusiasm soon fell away. The man was huge, cold as ice, and spoke with a so low voice that Albus had to concentrate to make out what he was saying. Now, the students actually began to miss Flitwick's squeaky tone. The professor began by lecturing on dark witches and wizards of which none of the students had ever heard. Ursula the Dark ? Ernest the Cursed? All students looked forward to learning about Voldemort but the teacher had never once mentioned his name. However, rumors were circulating in the corridors, and that gave Albus some hope. It was said that Professor Corvus would not stay more than a year. When Albus asked a third year student why, he burst out laughing.<p>

"Everyone knows that the position is cursed ! Look, I'm in my third year and I have had a new Defenses Against the Dark Arts teacher each year! They say that Voldemort put a curse on the post because the previous Head, Dumbledore, refused to give it to him, and even though Voldemort is long dead, the curse continues! I wonder who will assume the class, next year ... "

The news didn't cheer Albus so much. He still had a year to go with Corvus and this prospect did not please him.  
>The class Albus preferred the most was undoubtedly Transfiguration. Professor Dulcia was the strangest woman he had ever met, and he was acquainted with Luna Lovegood! Surpassing her in strangeness was no small feat! Dulcia had enormous round glasses which devoured half of her chubby face, which was a strange shade of pink due to a poorly cast spell. She put everything and anything in her hair which was so long that she could use it to stuff a cushion.<p>

Rose, unlike all the other students did not like her class. She said their teacher was "unconstructive", "unbalanced" and "bizarre". Yet she was the only student who notes on almost every word uttered by Dulcia. The scatter-brained witch was the head of the Gryffindor house and Rose knew she owed her respect.

Albus expected the worst during his Potions class. His brother had told him exaggerated tales of the horrors that he had suffered during that class. Professor Seos was always mad at James, Godric, and the Finnigan twins, most likely because they were constantly joking and pestering the Slytherin students with whom Gryffindor had potions class. But to his surprise, Albus turned out to be an excellent potions student and Seos even seemed to like him. He and Seth Bishoptree were the only ones to succeed with their potion to grow hair. Rose was furious. James then told him it was because his name was Albus _Severus_ Potter and that their idiot teacher probably had a boundless admiration for Snape, the greatest master of potions and Albus' namesake. But Seos' admiration of Albus caused the Slytherins to look at him with scorn. It was as if their head-of-house's lack of disdain for the newest Potter constituted an shameful scandal.  
>But although not all his classes were very fun, Albus loved learning and his teachers had no particular grudge against him. Scorpius Malfoy was not as fortunate.<br>The teachers never failed an opportunity to look askance at him and their lips pinched when their eyes met those of Scorpius. Moreover, the students did not really appreciate him. He had been trapped in the potions closet twice a week and during the course of transfiguration, Rose Weasley bewitched her needle to sting him every three minutes. He spent an hour turning about quickly in his chair in order to catch the one who was harassing him before he realized what was going on.  
>At dinner on Friday night, after doing his homework all afternoon with Rose (Who was revealed to be even more ruthless than she already was), Albus observed Scorpius undergo further humiliation committed by his brother James. The poor Malfoy boy was placed under the Assurdiato spell, which caused his ears to ring so loud so he couldn't hear a thing.<p>

"Look at that idiot ! He does not even know how to stop it! Well, Mr. Pure-Blood, you do not know the counterspell? Ah, I forgot, you can't hear a word I say! "

Arnold (or maybe it was Renold) guffawed so loud that the entire Great Hall must have heard. Rose burst out laughing and James continued to sneer.

"Leave him alone."

Albus stood up and faced his brother. James stopped snickering.

"What did you just say, little bro ? I think I didn't hear right," he said sarcastically.  
>"I said, leave him alone."<p>

"Oh yeah? So now, you are defending a Slytherin?"  
>"He is not a Slytherin, James! He is a Gryffindor!"<br>"All his dear family has been in Slytherin, the house of dirty traitors! I don't even understand why Hogwarts even has to have such a house! There's evil blood flowing in his veins! His father almost killed ours, how dare you defend him? I don't care what the Sorting Hat said, it was wrong!" he shouted.

James was livid. His brown eyes flashed angrily like two lightning bolts.

"What do you think our father would say if he saw you sympathizing with the enemy? I think he would consider it the ultimate betrayal! "

Albus clenched his fists.

"And I think he is not our enemy, James. Scorpius _is_ a Gryffindor, _not a_ Slytherin. I also think you are mistaken about Slytherin House too! Those who are here now were not there for the Final Battle!"  
>"Yeah, but those cowards who left the school behind were their parents !<br>"You don't know that! Houses are assigned based on genes! Besides, even if their parents were traitors, they had nothing to do with it ! "

Rose's eyes were wide open. She had never seen Albus so angry and James was also seething with rage. What could she do ? Scorpius also watched the scene with large, wondering eyes. What were they saying? He couldn't hear a thing due to the humming in his ears, but he could plainly see that the two brothers were yelling.  
>Albus and James surveyed each other with a defiant air and then, the younger raced around the table. Rose was petrified. She didn't who whether to follow or stay, but instinct took control and she quickly followed him. Scorpius, who finally understood what was happening followed them as well.<p>

"I think I'm starting to like your brother, James ..." murmured Euphrasia as the three young people left the Great Hall behind them.

"Al! Wait for me !" Rose gasped as she ran after him.

Albus entered the Gryffindor common room and collapsed on the sofa. His cousin and Scorpius also came to his side after a moment of hesitation.  
>He was sure he had made a mistake. Fight against his own brother over <em>Scorpius Malfoy<em> ? He barely knew him ! He was really starting to regret his outburst. And of course, Rose added a layer of guilt.

"Thank you. "

Albus, who had buried his head in his hands, lifted his nose toward the son of Draco.

"Thank you for defending me. "

"I should apologize," Albus responded, "My brother is an idiot sometimes. Okay, more often than sometimes. But he is not a bad guy."

Rose could not believe her ears. Surely, she was hallucinating.

"It's not your fault, I'm used to insults, so it's no big deal. "

His voice was bitter, dull and cold. He might say that he was fine now, but he was not unaffected by the mockery that he received all day long. A hint of guilt snuck its way onto Rose's face but she erased it immediately, convincing herself that all she felt was pity. _Only_ pity.  
>Footsteps sounded in the hallway. Albus got up immediately. He did not want to see his brother now. As he began to flee to the boys dormitories, the portrait swung open, freezing him in place. He felt a swell of relief when he realized it was only Hope Redgcombe and Kwiat. The first girl stammered a few words, an incomprehensible "Good night" before turning into the spiral staircase. Euphrasia looked at them with a strange smile.<p>

"You'd better go to bed, James will not be long."

She turned and whispered "What an idiot ..." before disappearing in the wake of Hope.  
>It was enough for Albus to waved and say, "Good evening."<p>

Immediately upon rushing into the dormitory, he threw himself under the covers. Scorpius came behind him without saying a word and slipped into his bed. After a few moments of silence, a hubbub arose in the common room and Albus suspected that James had just returned. He pretended to sleep lest his brother attempted to continue the dispute. Downstairs, he heard him laugh and he even thought heard his name mentioned in a threatening voice.  
>He had made a terrible mistake.<p>

The next morning he rose at dawn to avoid crossing James at breakfast. After a night haunted by nightmares, he crept on tiptoe out of his room. Then he closed the portrait quietly, happy not to have awakened anybody. He breathed a sigh of relief and he turned round, coming face to face with his cousin. He jumped back and gasped with surprise.

"I know you don't think you are leaving without me!"

He mumbled his apologies, "I could not go look for you in the girl's room. If Hyacinth Thomas had heard me, she would have ripped my head off."

She raised her head and with a vexed air said, "You might at least have waited for me in the common room!"  
>"And if James came down before you? "<p>

The very prospect made him tremble. He might even have preferred to meet face to face with the prefect as he tried to enter the girls' dormitory. Rose shrugged.

"I consider this as an abandonment. "

Albus tried to defend himself but she cut him off,

"Let's eat! I'm starving! And you know, it's a good thing we're up early. We will be able to get a head start on our homework for the next two weeks and even work ahead in our Charms book! And not to say the least, we'll have first dibs on all the pumpkin pasties at breakfast!"

Rose had a weakness for pumpkin pasties.  
>They were nearly the first to arrive in the Great Hall where a few Ravenclaws and Slytherins had begun their morning meal. As expected, Rose stuffed her pockets with her favorite treats. Sometimes he was afraid that she would become as huge as Uncle Dudley.<br>As they sat finishing up,dozens of owls dropped the daily papers at various locations on each large molting owl delivered _The Daily Prophet_ with a crash, right into Albus's nearly empty plate. The headline read out in bold :

"A STUDENT DISAPPEARS AT DURMSTRANG!"  
>Runaway or kidnapping? Rodrig Snieg disappeared on the night of September 10th. The student disaperated when he and some friends decided to go to the lake near the school. Durmstrang is on high alert."<p>

Below the article, the picture of a boy about fourteen years of age stared at Albus with his gray eyes. Beside him, Rose whispered, "Another one who has run away. "

Albus shrugged his shoulders and put down the newspaper. Today was the last Quidditch training before the match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.  
>Albus took care not to cross his brother while he paced the corridors with Rose. They were turning and turning and eventually found themselves lost in the huge castle. It seemed it took forever to find their way and when they finally arrived at the Quidditch pitch, the two houses already filled the stands. Even if it was just a training, Quidditch always caused a craze for all wizards. All the Ravenclaw players were already in place, equipped and impatiently waiting on the Gryffindors. Opposing them were, Hyacinth Thomas, who was the first of three Chasers, Heath Thomas and Euphrasia Kwiat who stood with furious expressions at the changing rooms enterence. Finally, after a long period of waiting, James, Godric and the twins made their appearance.<p>

"You're late," remarked the prefect unpleasantly.  
>"Heroes know how and when make their appearance!" squeaked Albus's brother.<br>"We have waited long enough!", cried a Ravenclaw at the other end of the field, "Let's go!"

A murmur went through the benches of the spectators. Hyacinth was the first in the air, closely followed by her brother. From the bleachers, Albus saw Kwiat cast a scornful look at James before rising into the air. With a smile, James gave a powerful kick into the ground and began to follow the Keeper.

Hyacinth called, "Alright! This is a friendly match to get back in shape! Ready ... Go!"

The Quaffle flew from hand to hand so quickly that it was hard for Albus to follow it. He did not even distinguish where his brother was among all the red capes swirling under the blinding sun. For the friendly match, the Golden Snitch was not released and the two Seekers were simply reaching top speeds, hard braking, and tracking a bewitched stone much slower than the Golden Snitch. Kwiat turned around the goals like a hawk, and every time the Quaffle was launched in her direction she returned with a slow worthy of a troll to her team's Chaser. Each goal resulted in a standing ovation. Albus had to admit, James was really a great player, when he was not fooling around with Godric.  
>The match was going well until a Bludger escaped from Renold's vigilant watch and rushed on Hyacinth. Arnold raced like a rocket and tried to deflect the Bludger. The prefect turned when she scored a goal and her eyes widened when she saw the black ball racing towards her. She plunged to the ground, trying to avoid its fury. Yelps of terror resounded among the spectators and Albus watched the scene with frightened eyes. After two minutes of chaseing, the Bludger crashed with full force into the Chaser. She fell from her broomstick and rolled on the grass.<p>

"Hyacinth ! "

Her brother rushed to her side. All students had risen from their benches to see what was happening.

"Go get Madam Pomfrey !" Heath bellowed.

Euphrasia flew at full speed to the school. All the team members of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw surrounded the prefect.

"Hyacinth, are you ok? Answer me! Can you hear me? "

The poor girl moaned, holding her ankle which had taken a strange angle.

"I think ... I think my ankle is broken."

She tried to move but yelped in pain.

"Stop twisting it! Madam Pomfrey is coming, relax!"

Renold had a desolate and confused look on his face. He approached the wounded girl with his mouth hanging open like a dead fish.  
>Euphrasia came running, followed by the nurse who examined the player and quickly made a diagnosis. Frowning she said,<p>

"Broken ankle. No more Quidditch for five monthes for you Miss."

She placed her in a stretcher and levitated it. Renold and Heath followed her.

"Madam Pomfrey ... But the potion for the bone regrowth ... she squeaked in a weak voice.

"It's not going to be a cakewalk, I'm warning you."  
>"But could I play again once my ankle ...<br>"No way, girl! You want to break it again? Your ankle will take time to completly heal. Even if I use the potion."

The Chaser looked down. Renold stammered.

"I'm sorry, Hyacinth, I ... If I'd been paying attention ...

"It's nothing, Renold, it's alright. Everything gonna be fine. but promise me one thing.  
>"Whatever you want!"<br>"Win the Cup! With or without me, win! And that is an order from the prefect and captain of Gryffindor Quidditch team!"  
>"But without a third Chaser …?"<br>"Find one."

Albus could not believe his eyes. He had seen a Quidditch match on television and he'd played with his father, mother, and brother but he'd never believed that a Bludger could do so much damage! Poor Hyacinth! She was crying in pain and he was even certain he had seen tears in her black eyes.  
>James who was still in the field, addressed his house's spectators with his voice magically amplified :<p>

"Gyffondors!", he bellowed, "You want to win the Quidditch Cup?"

Screams went up the ranks.

"Really? "

The tumult redoubled.

"Well, we will need a new Chaser, then! Recruitment begins this Monday afternoon!"

"Hooray!" rang out over the pitch. Everyone was laying bets.  
>Who would be the next Gryffindor Chaser?<p> 


	4. Hagrid's Invitation

Albus was not at all bad at Quidditch.

After all, his father had begun teaching him how to play as a very small child. His mother had encouraged him as well and he had all those factors in his favor. His first class with Madam Ginestra was a tremendous success, despite the fact that the old Nimbus 2000 provided by the school trembled a little and had difficulty keeping its bearing. Even so, he did not want to go out for his teams' Chaser position.

"But, Rose, there are tons of students better than me," he whispered to his cousin while they were eating supper one evening.  
>" Nothing ventured, nothing gained, Al," she replied without looking away from her plate.<br>"Besides, two Potters on a team? It's kind of unfair."  
>"There are two Finnigans now, and there were two Thomases."<br>"James will _still_ laugh at me and even in the impossible event that I would qualify, I don't think we would make a very good team ..."  
>"You two are brothers and James will get along with anyone if it means winning the Quidditch cup."<br>"But ... "

Albus paused. He was really starting to run out of arguements.

"And if ... What if I took a Bludger to the head or something, can you imagine?"  
>"Bludgers are an occupational hazard but James has never fallen from his broom, I don't think."<br>"But ... People will think I'm only doing this for attention!"  
>"Never mind what people think. James will only use it to wind you up!"<p>

Albus had no more objections in his pocket. Rose sensed her victory and finally looked up from her dish.

"So, you're okay? Are you going to try out? "

Albus thought for a moment then looked down, defeated. After all, it was not as if being on a broomstick was any great ordeal for him. He loved flying.

"Yes, I think I will go and see Ginestra," he replied.

Rose stood up and stretched.

"Well, that's that! If I had half the chance of making the team as you do, I'd try out without a single hesitation!"

Albus rose as well, just in time to see Scorpius running up to them. Rose groaned, rolling her eyes. Since the day Albus had rescued Malfoy from James, he had taken the habit of following them around, much to Rose's annoyance. She sought to avoid him by all possible means. She claimed he had bad vibes and that this affected their quality of work. Moreover, if the other students saw them together, they would also become pariahs. But somehow, Albus did not seem to care about what the others might think. Rather, he demonstrated compassion for Scorpius.

"The password?" demanded the portrait of the Fat Lady which guarded the entrance to Gryffindor Tower.

"Fried Pullus," Albus offered, and the door swung open.

Rose rushed into the portal, followed by her cousin and her worst enemy. She lay on the couch and Albus sat on the armrest. Scorpius continued to watch them from afar..

"He creeps me out! How are we supposed to have a conversation with Malfoy spying on us?" Rose complained to Albus softly.

Albus glanced at Scorpius and then turned back to Rose.

"Maybe he is just ... I don't know ..."  
>"Do not make excuses for him, Al! That guy is crazy. All the Malfoys are crazy. So, please, do not even try to ..."<br>"Scorpius!" Albus called over, interrupting her tirade, "Are you going to try out for the house Quidditch team?"  
>"Albus Severus Potter! Don't you ever listen?" she hissed.<br>"Perhaps. I haven't decided. You are trying out, right?"  
>"What next?" Rose muttered, more to herself than to others.<br>"I think I am. But I'm afraid there will be much stronger players than us trying out as well."  
>"I saw you on a broom and believe me, you have it in the blood. "<p>

Albus glanced over his shoulder anxiously. He could hear James' voice just outside in the corridor.

"We'll see," Albus responded quickly.

Albus got to his feet suddenly and made his way toward his room, in order to avoid his brother, but he overhead Rose begin chastising Scorpius as soon as she thought he was out of earshot.

"My cousin is really _too_ nice and naïve, but I most certainly am not! So take care of yourself, Malfoy. I'm watching you. If you do the slightest thing to hurt any of my family or friends, I assure you, you will be annihilated!"

Then she gave him a scornful look before disappearing into her dorm room. Scorpius swallowed without having the time to answer anything at all. Albus sighed sympathetically before entering his room. That night, Albus did not hear Scorpius go to bed or even come upstairs to the room. Albus wondered if he stayed awake in the common room all night.

At long last, the time came when Hagrid invited Rose and Albus down to his hut for tea.  
>It was not as if visiting the gamekeeper was a trip to Calvary, they loved Hagrid and found him to be gentle and pleasant. His homemade biscuits, however, were another matter. Fortunately Fang was there to assist with that problem.<br>Rose and Albus were heading for the gamekeeper's hut which was located on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The high canopy of trees covered the road leading to the dark heart of the gloomy wood. Knowing that dangerous creatures could live in there made Albus shiver. The forest seemed to swallow them up under dense foliage. Rose knocked timidly on the huge, wooden door. Hagrid opened it immediately and invited them in with a big smile on his lips.

"Come in, come in, don` be shy, now! "

The two cousins crowded inside the half-giant found them stools to sit on, wedged between a wall and the large basket where his playful mastiff slept. Fang laid his heavy head on Rose's lap and began to drool profusely on her robes. She tried to ignore it but the dog began to whimper for her to scratch his head. Seeing his pitiable air, she laid her hand on top of his head covered with dark fur.

"I'll make tea. Always tea to go with my cupcakes."

Rose and his cousin grimaced, but Hagrid, who had his back turned, did not notice. Albus noted that the daily newspaper was folded on the table. He seized it and began to read.

"NEW DISAPPEARANCE AT DURMSTRANG! "  
>"After the strange disappearance of Rodrig Snieg, a serious student with no history of strange behavoir, it's now the turn of Eleanor Rosenwalt to evaporate without a trace. The young witch disappeared from her dormitory just one day after Rodrig disappeared, presumably running away from school. Investigators have uncovered no trace of the two teenagers so far. A lovers escape, perhaps, or a kidnapping? The mystery remains."<p>

The photo of the missing girl was below the article.  
>A shrill whistle made Albus jump.<p>

"Tea is ready! " Hagrid sang out.

He served them in small, chipped cups, coarsely decorated, and placed the teapot on the table beside a plate of biscuits.

"Ah, yeh heard o` them disappearances, have yeh? A nasty story ... "

Rose and Albus observed Hagrid with interest as he squinted at the article.

"What happened to them, Hagrid?" Albus asked him, "Why hasn't anyone found them yet?" Hagrid looked down thoughtfully, as if suddenly fascinated by Crockdur who was sniffing greedily at the cakes.  
>"I don` believe fer a minute, that those kids were kidnapped. Yeh have to be smart as paint to enter like that into a school of magic an come out with a kid under yer arm. Those hoodlum are in a little romantic getaway an` they just got lost. Unfortunately, the woods around Durmstrang are not really ... Anyway, yeh know what I mean?"<p>

They nodded eagerly.

"I hope they will find them quickly and still alive."

Albus swallowed.

"Anyway, how about yer parents? How are things with them? And little Lily? And yer younger brother Hugo?"

They spoke of their family for a while and then Hagrid began to rehash old memories of the first year Harry, Ron and Hermione came to Hogwarts.

"They gave me some hard times, those little rascals! I never meant teh betray Dumbledore's confidence, never! But how they managed teh get secrets out of me, those rascals! They were there with their innocent little faces! And sayin` that they faced Fluffy ... "

Uncle Ron and Albus's father had often spoken of the giant, three-headed dog to their children. "The gentlest beast in the world if we played him a song! He would have made a very good watchdog," according to Ron.

"But now, snorted Hagrid, "I hardly see `em ..".  
>"Why?" Asked Rose.<br>"He's living with me brother Grawp. Oh, I'm not sad! They both get along so well. But Grawp kin be so light-minded! I'm always afraid that he forgets teh feed em ... Sometimes I can't sleep when I think about it ... "

He blew his nose in an old pea-colored handkerchief. Albus took advantage of this distracted moment to pass three biscuits to Fang, who devoured them in the blink of an eye before licking Albus' hands.

"By the way, I heard that yeh were friends with little Scorpius ..."

Rose froze. Oh no! That was the last thing she wanted to hear. Everyone thought she was friends with him! She wanted to scream from the rooftops of the school, "I. Am. Not. Friends. With. Scorpius. Malfoy! "

"We are not really friends ... she muttered.  
>"Really? But James told me that ...<br>"James?" Albus was mortified.  
>"Yeah, James, yer brother," said Hagrid, a little disoriented, "I just wanted to say that ... Well, it would be better not to trust Scorpius ... You know, this family has ..."<br>"Been mortal ennemies with our parents for three decades?" Rose growled in a low voice.  
>"Yes. Beware, yeh never know. "<p>

Oh yes, she knew. Rose fully intended to breath down Scorpius' neck throughout the whole school year and the following if necessary. She knew that slimy Scorpius Malfoy would end up betraying Albus before long and at that moment, she would be there.

"It's getting` late, I would not want yeh teh be out after hours. And then I heard that Gryffindor need a new Chaser fer the Quidditch team? "

He nodded to Albus who looked down, slightly embarrassed.

"I'm sure yeh will fly like lightning`! I'll try teh come down and see the try outs tomorrow! "

They said goodbye but as they crossed the door, Hagrid caught a hold of them.

"Ah, yeh almost fergot yer cake! There! "

He stuffed their hands with biscuits, then slammed the door, smiling. As they moved away from the cabin, Rose grumbled:

"What are we supposed to do with these?"  
>"They're hard as rock. I'm not about to try to taste them. They really weigh a ton!"<p>

"Wait, I may have an idea. "

She grabbed her wand, made the cakes levitate a little awkwardly and sent them flying into the Forbidden Forest.

"Someone will eventually eat them! "

She laughed, but soon her laughter fell back and her face went darker.

"And to think that everyone thinks we're friends with Scorpius Malfoy! My life is ruined! "

Albus did not dare to argue but he said to himself that it was no a big deal. Poor Scorpius had enough trouble as it was, he didn't want to add to his problems. Moreover, he did not really seem to be a bad guy.

"Hey, Rose, did you think Hagrid was acting a bit ..."  
>"Anxious?"<br>"Yeah. Especially when he started to talk about the disappearances ..."  
>"I noticed too. "<p>

They had only seen the giant three times and yet it was easy to guess when something disturbed him. He was an open book.

"I can't imagine why they disappeared but the whole thing seems very strange."  
>"I am willing to bet that more will disappear before the authorities can tell us any more."<p>

They entered the school and Albus decided to head back to the common room to finish his homework while Rose promised to bring him a piece of treacle tart from dinner. He paced the halls and found himself lost in worry. These stories of disappearances made him shudder, despite the fact that they were so far away. Suddenly, he heard a whisper. In surprise, he pressed himself against a wall, hoping he might melt into it if any adults were coming to catch him wandering the halls. He waited nervously. Had it merely been a dream or hallucination? But then a new murmuring sound made him tremble. After a moment of heavy silence, Albus heard a clear voice coming from the classroom. He placed his ear against the cold wall and listened.

"Are you sure? The moving will not ..."  
>"We have collected enough. We can't go back for more, now. They are waiting. We have no choice, we need to move right away," a distant voice answered.<br>"But you are safe down there ... They are not likely to find you ..."  
>"Since when do you give your opinion?" Spat out the other voice which began to sizzle.<br>"I-I apologize ... I did not ..."  
>"We're almost out of time. Have you found someone that might serve the purpose?<br>"Yes, there are a few that may interest you ... "

Albus did not know why but he felt that the crackled voice was smiling.

"Perfect"  
>"Do you think y-you will come immediately or ..."<br>"We will make a side trip to France."  
>"Understood. I will start the preparations."<br>"Excellent. "

And the second voice vanished.  
>Albus knew that it was at that moment that he should flee, lest the other voice catch him listening.<br>And so he did.  
>He was off like a shot through the corridors, not knowing where he really went. He was charging, afraid of being discovered. This conversation was nothing like a little chat with friends. The voice seemed to come from nowhere and it had scared him. It was dark, guttural, inhuman.<p>

He stopped when he was sure he was not being followed. His breath came short and his throat was on fire. What could all this mean? Who was in the room? Albus tried in vain to make sense of what he had heard and come up with a plan. He had to talk to Rose immediately. But he dared not go back the way he came. He decided to move towards the Gryffindor common room and meet Rose there. As he turned, his eyes met a pair of gray eyes that were watching him. The sight startled him so much he struggled to refrain from shouting out in fear. Scorpius looked haggard and his features were drawn with worry.

"Wh-What are you doing here?" Albus asked, trying to restore his capacity.

The other boy stared suspiciously at him.

"I could ask you the same question. "

He was not wrong, Albus realized. Scorpius looked strange. _Really_ strange. Albus was not mistrustful by nature but at that moment a little voice in his head was screaming that Scorpius knew something about the voices he'd heard.

"Peeves was chasing me," Albus fibbed, "He hit me with rotten eggs. I was trying to get away and I got lost. I hate that bloody ghost. "

Albus' lie was convincing. Everyone knew that the poltergeist was a pain and it was better to flee than confront him. Moreover, the tremolos in his voice suggested genuine fear. Scorpius frowned.

"I was heading to the Great Hall. I'm starving."

Scorpius walked away toward dinner, casting a glance over his shoulder. Albus breathed with relief after hearing his footsteps vanish around the corner. He had to return to the dormitory and fast.  
>After an eternity, he finally sprawled in an armchair. Two students who were playing chess had turned their head as he entered and they waved at him. Rose was not there yet. Scorpius either. Still frazzled, he thankfully warmed himself by the fire. He hadn't realized the chill that had overtaken him. The phrase "a cold sweat" took its meaning.<br>His cousin eventually joined him and after having drawn her away for fear of eavesdroppers, he told his story. At each point in the tale, she stared in surprised or frowned in puzzlement. Once he'd finished, she had this to say,

"I think we'll follow Hagrid's advice. We will be very cautious of Scorpius Malfoy. And yeah, I told you so!" 


End file.
